Headlight



May 12, 1925.

J. P. CARNEY HEADLIGHT Filed Nov. 22, 1923 r 2 m2 h L h T 1 w w m m J q w A w A V w 3 3 MLQ 3 v 2 $6 9 m 0& u .m

Patented May 12, 1925 UNITED .STATES JOSEPH P. oARNEY, or onrcneo, ILLINOIS.

HEADLIGHT.

- Application filed November 22, 1923. Serial No. 676,325.

To all whom it may concern: 7

Be it known that JOSEPH P. CARNEY, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of Chicago, in the county of'Cook and State of Illinois, has invented a new and useful Headlight, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to the improvement of headlight control means, and more especially toactuating and locking means for securing an electrically controlled tiltable head light positively in its several positions, as for instance on motor cars. The main objects of the invention are to provide an improved form of electrical tilting and looking control means for a headlight, or beam casting member thereof; to provide such a device so constructedfand arranged as to raise and lower the beam of light to definite angular positions relative to the car at the will of the operator; and to positively lock the headlight in. its respective positions against tilting by, any accidental or other means than actuation of the electrical control device. 7

An illustrative embodiment of this invention is shown by the accompanying drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a vertical axial section through a headlight adapted to be used for instance on automobiles. l

Fig. 2 is a greatly enlarged vertical axial section through the electromagnetic control means shown in the upper left hand corner of'Fig. 1.

Fig. 3 is an endwise view of the device shown in Fig. 2 as viewed on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2.

i In the construction shown in the drawings, the head light comprises mainly a fixed casing 1, a tiltably mounted reflector 2, and

an electromagnetic control device 3, said casing having a supporting bracket 1 carrying horizontally disposed pivot means 5 to support said reflector, and said casing also having fastening means 6 for attaching to the vehicle frame, as will be understood, though the vehicle is not shown.

The said reflector is provided with a lug 7 on its upper edge to receive a pivot 8 for operatively attaching the forward end of the link 9, which link at its opposite end 1S also pivoted at 10 to the sucking magnet plunger rod E. V g

The control device 3 as a whole is secured rigidly in the upper part of the casing 1,

back of the reflector 2. It comprises mainly a hollow softiron core 12, having a central axial bore 13 to receive the plunger E, a pair of solenoid windings 14'. and 15 to actuate said plunger, a lock member D to secure said plunger in its respective positions,

and a spring member L to insure effective operation of the lockD.

The rigidly mounted core 12 is substantially cylindrical in shape with a pair of [annular grooves 12' and 12 to receive the solenoid windings 14 and 15. This construction provides three definite I poles for the core, all of rectangular shape and disposed in coaxial alinement, namely, M, N and O.

l The lock member D is angular, one arm D being extended down over the front end of the core 12, and the other arm D being disposed backwardly over the said poles where it acts as an armature and is attracted to said poles when the core or anypart of it is energized as by either of its said windlngs. The rearward outer end of arm D is provided with a pair of side lugs D whichare perforated at D and are pivot-u ally secured by means of screws D to the pole O. The arm D is provided with a perforation or slot D to receive the rod E and accommodate due movement of each relative to the other.

Said rod Eis provided with notches E of screw C fitting in pole N to insure proper tension.

The rod E is of tubular shape and is nonmagnetic and may well he made of fiber,

hard rubber, bakelite or brass, but'is pro vided with a soft iron core P,.which is relatively short. Said core P has threaded engagement with the interior of rod E whereby its position lengthwise of said rod may be adjusted. The accessible rear end of core P is slotted at P" for turning with a screw driver. 7

On one side of the core 12 1s mounted a fiber plate 16, which is secured by screws F and I to the poles M and O of core 12. On

this plate are mounted a pair of metallic terminalsor connectors 17. These are prov1d titl ed with screwsltl and K, to which the outer ends of'the coils 14' and 15 are connected'respectively, the opposite ends of said coils being grounded, as by soldering to the core 12. Said terminals are also provided with screws G and J respectively, which are electrically connected by wires A and B to manual. switches A and B located conveniently tor actuation by the driver-,as torv instance, on the, hand wheel or wheel post of the car, as will he understood though the hand wheel is not here shown. Extending from the other side oi'these switches is a common 'con nec'tionlS leadingto a source of current, as for, instance, abattery 19, the opposite side of the battery being grounded.

The operation of the device will now be readily, und'enstood'. The reflector 2 being in its normal, horizontally facingfdirection, it may be tilted' downwardly, as would be required upon approaching a stretch of down grade, by pressing the button or switch A, thus energizing the coil 14. This will ener-, gize the front end of the core 12, and. thus pull. the, magnet P forwardly. Its movement will be. transmitted through the rod 11, link 9and lug 7. to the upper edge of the reflector, which will thus be tilted forwardly onits pivots 5 so as to throw the light downwardly asrequired. In thus energizing the core. 12 the poles Bland N pull downward on the automatic release armature part D and sogthrowthe lock member D downward suiticiently todisengage the teeth E, thus releasing th e rod E, and'so permitting the movement. thereof: above described. As soon as the switch A is released the lock member D will bethrown upward by spring Land so caused to engage rod E.

l vhenit isdesiredto restore the reflector to. its normal horizontal position, as "for travelling on an even grade, the other switch or button B may be pressed, thereby closing the circuit through, the restoring coil 15. Thiswillenergize the rear part of the core 12, and: also the p les N and O. The lock member D. will thus be pulled downwardly, relcasingthe rod E and causing the core 1 to be drawn .baclrwardly. This movement willbe transmitted. through the rod E and link 9 to the reflector, which will be pulled backto its normaltposition. And again, as soonas the switches A. andB are both open, the, core 12 will be de-energized and the springL willsnap the lock D up into place so as to engage the teeth E and lock the rod E against longitudinal movement.

It will be noted that the wiring of this device is simple, only three wires being necessary for running to. the hand wheel. Moreover, the device as a whole is, most:

simple in construction, and, operation, and.

is, entirely positive and dependable, especially'in ,view of the locking member D.

The specific adjustment or movement of the reflector may be predetermined and adjusted by turning the threaded core P, as will be understood. Adjustment of this core inwardly will raise the beam of light, and moving it outwardly will lower the beam. 'lhelamp 20 is set rigidly in the back part of the reflector, said lamp and reflector constituting a beam projector.

Although but one specific embodiment of this invention is herein shown and described, it is to be understood that numerous details or the construction shown may be altered or omitted without departing from the spirit ot'the invention as defined by the fol? lowing claims.

I claim:

l. A headlight comprising a casing, areflector tiltably mounted therein and an electromagnetic control device mounted in said casing for tilting said reflector, saidcontrol device including a pair of solenoid windings disposed coaxially in alinement, a movable core mounted therein for lengthwise actuation by said windings,.an armature normally engaging said core to prevent movement thereof and being releasable by electromagneticaction to release said core when either of said coils is energized, and mechanical means operatively connecting said core to said reflector, whereby movement. of said core in one direction tilts said. reflector downwardly, and reverse movement of said core restores the reflector.

2. In a device of the character described, a tiltably mounted light-beam projector and control means therefor comprising a hollow electro-magnetic core having independent windings disposed thereon at different. positions lengthwise thereof, a relatively short electromagnetic core disposed slid'ably in said hollow core and operatively connected to said'projector, and a magnetic control latch for said short core disposed on one side of said hollow core and arranged to release said short core whenever said hollow core is en ergized.

3. In a device of the character described, a beam projector in combination with tilting and locking means comprising mainly an energizing solenoid having a pair of independently energized coils disposed coaxially side by side and a solenoid magnet operable thereby forwardly and backwardly according to which coil is energized to tilt and restore said projector and an electromagnetic armature operable by said solenoid arranged to move to and fro transversely of the solenoid magnet path whenever the solenoid member is deenergized or energized respectively,.one movement being to lock said magnet and the other to release the same in either of its positions.

t. A headlight comprising incombinatio'n a fixed casing, a reflector and lamp unit pivotally mounted therein for tilting vertilOS llO

cally and electromagnetic control means therefor, the latter including a hollow core having three lateral poles, solenoid windings on the two interpolar spaces a plunger slidable to and fro by alternate energization of said coils, said plunger being operatively connected to said reflector and lamp unit, and-an armature latch having one end pivoted to one of the end poles and the other disposed across the opposite end of said core to engage said plunger. 7 a

5. In a headlight having a tiltable ray projector, an electromagnetic control device comprising a plunger operatively connected to said PI'OJGCtOI' and actuat ng solenoid Ineans therefor in combination with an an- I gular magnetic latch having one arm disa means is energized, and means to force said latch backward into engagement with said I plunger at other times.

JOSEPH P. CARNEY. 

